Perspectives

Teaching Sessions/Homework

Overview

The Perspectives course is a superb tool for church leaders who want to encourage their flock to become more involved in the Church’s task both locally and worldwide. Perspectives consists of 15 weekly sessions with different speaker each time. A challenging, motivating and potentially life-changing program, Perspectives is not to be taken lightly by participants or by those who coordinate it.

The www.perspectives.org web site describes it as “A biblical, historical and cultural analysis of the world Christian movement, with specific attention given to strategy and the imperative of bringing the gospel to groups that have yet to initially receive it.” Each three hour session includes a break and refreshments.

Working from a database on the Perspectives website, sponsoring churches schedule a lineup of Biblical scholars, missionaries, pastors, professors, and mobilizers who bring a wealth of experience and passion to their lesson. Some are flown in and others are more local.

The 15 sessions include: The Living God is a Missionary God; The Story of His Glory; Your Kingdom Come; Mandate for the Nations; Unleashing the Gospel; The Expansion of the Christian Movement; Eras of Missions History; Pioneers of the World Christian Movement; The Task Remaining; How Shall They Hear; Building Bridges of Love; Christian Community Development; The Spontaneous Multiplication of Churches; Pioneer Church Planting; and World Christian Discipleship.

Two books are provided. Perspectives Reader is a collection of excellent articles by a wide variety of Biblical scholars, historians, missiologists, and practitioners. The study guide helps us navigate through the Reader and better understand God’s character and mission.

The course emphasizes that salvation and the life of the Kingdom of God is about “me.” The kingdom is about God’s heart and His agenda, as portrayed from Genesis to Revelation, which is that people would know and worship Him.

Perspectives challenges participants to take to heart Jesus’ words in Mt. 24:14, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come (niv),” along with the breath-taking declaration of Rev. 7:9.

Perspectives is a ministry of the Pasadena, California-based US Center for World Mission, which promotes the mission movement among the world’s least reached peoples.

Strengths

1. The articles and speakers show that God is at work and that we are both mandated and privileged to be part of what He is doing. There is frequent reference to the wonderful things He is doing among Muslims today.

2. The course may be taken for undergrad or graduate level credit; at the certificate level; or simply by attending and reading as you can.

Weaknesses/Challenges

1. There is cost which may exclude some people from participating. (However, scholarships are available from Rosedale Mennonite Missions)

2. Outside reading requirements may also be difficult for some to accomplish.